Reports: Sony

Browse all of our reports, featuring our analysts' expert insights and analysis of audience segmentation, emerging trends and technologies, value chains, market shares, predictions and more – backed by our proprietary survey data and bespoke models & forecasts. Become a subscriber to get new ones every month, or just pick one to get started.

AI futures
Culture wars

Cover image for AI futures

Ben Woods, Tatiana Cirisano, Hanna Kahlert, Mark Mulligan and Kriss Thakrar

May 2025

Apple

Spotify

Deezer

AI is transforming culture, entertainment, business, and society at a rate unprecedented in the digital era. Unlike previous tech, AI is evolving at the speed of computing, not the human brain. Delivering as quickly as it promises, AI is breaking the mould.

The future of creator hardware
AI’s new creative lane

Cover image for The future of creator hardware

Ben Woods

October 2024

Twitch

Sony

Microsoft

AI tools pose a risk to the hardware funnel by becoming the go-to toolkit for beginners and a substitute for recorded footage. With AI providing solutions at every stage of the video creator workflow, hardware must fight to justify its need. Especially because AI makes it easier for all creators to produce professional-grade content.

2022 MIDiA predictions
The year of the creator

Cover image for 2022 MIDiA predictions

Mark Mulligan, Tim Mulligan, Karol Severin, Hanna Kahlert, Srishti Das, Kriss Thakrar and Tatiana Cirisano

December 2021

Creators

Apple

Spotify

In this report MIDiA Research analysts present their predictions for what will be the big trends in digital media and tech across music, video, brands, marketing, games, and sports in 2022 and beyond. Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Adele,...

Music and Games Partnership Strategy
Beyond the Comfort Zone

Cover image for Music and Games Partnership Strategy

Karol Severin

January 2021

Apple

Spotify

Spotify

Music companies are flocking to explore partnerships with games companies. Seeking a foothold in a fast-growing market, music companies are often looking for easy wins that fit traditional licensing models that monetise consumption. These however, typically do not align with the games industry’s spend-centric worldview.

Music and Games Partnership Strategy
Beyond the Comfort Zone

Cover image for Music and Games Partnership Strategy

Karol Severin

January 2021

Apple

Spotify

Spotify

Music companies are flocking to explore partnerships with games companies. Seeking a foothold in a fast-growing market, music companies are often looking for easy wins that fit traditional licensing models that monetise consumption. These however, typically do not align with the games industry’s spend-centric worldview.

Next-Generation Consoles
PS5 Starts in Pole Position

Cover image for Next-Generation Consoles

Karol Severin

November 2020

YouTube

Amazon

Xbox

The winter holiday season has always been important for next-generation console launches, but this one is different. Negative effects of the current recession will intensify, engagement will be less predictable and device-agnostic games subscription competition is set to heat up.

COVID-19
Entertainment and Leisure Industry Impact Assessment

Cover image for COVID-19

Mark Mulligan

March 2020

Apple

Spotify

Artists

The spread of COVID-19, and the responses of industry and governments alike, is unprecedented. It is, however, the restrictions on movement of people along with the response of consumers and investors that is causing the biggest disruption and will have the most impact on entertainment businesses.

20/20 Vision
MIDiA Research Predictions 2020

Cover image for 20/20 Vision

Alistair Taylor, Amanda Stears, Karol Severin, Keith Jopling, Mark Mulligan, Tim Mulligan and Zach Fuller

December 2019

Apple

Spotify

Discovery

In this report MIDiA Research analysts present their predictions for what will be the big trends in digital media and tech across music, video, media, brands, marketing, games and sports in 2020 and the coming decade. Companies and brands mentioned in...

Smart Speakers and Headphone Market Shares
Expanding Streaming’s Addressable Base

Cover image for Smart Speakers and Headphone Market Shares

Mark Mulligan

October 2019

Apple

Beats

Spotify

The rise of digital pushed music out of the home stereo and into the earbud. Over recent years this has created a booming market for headphones, but speakers are fighting back – driven in large part by tech majors using smart speakers as a Trojan horse for expanding into the home.

US Gamers
Targeting Games Franchises to Compete in the Attention Economy

Cover image for US Gamers

Karol Severin

September 2019

YouTube

Netflix

Facebook

Games used to be isolated from other media activities. This has all changed with the rise of the attention economy, and the shift of gaming devices from purely consoles, to smartphones now supporting other media formats. This dynamic opens a floodgate of opportunities for media and entertainment companies, tech majors, telcos and brands alike to cr...

The Games Streaming Subscription Revolution
Meet the Players

Cover image for The Games Streaming Subscription Revolution

Karol Severin

June 2019

Streaming

Apple

Spotify

Streaming is rewriting the games market rulebook. The games subscription landscape is undergoing foundational changes driven by a growing list of new market entrants including tech majors, telcos, leading games developers and publishers. The rise of games streaming opens doors to device- and platform-agnostic solutions all across the attention econ...

MIDiA Research Predictions 2019

Cover image for MIDiA Research Predictions 2019

Alistair Taylor, Georgia Meyer, Mark Mulligan, Tim Mulligan and Zach Fuller

November 2018

Apple

Spotify

YouTube

In this report MIDiA Research analysts present their predictions for what will be the big trends in digital media and tech, across music, video, media, brands, marketing, games and sports in 2019. Companies and brands mentioned in this report: ABC, Alibaba, Alphabet, Amazon, Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Apple Music, AT&T, BBC, BT, BT Sports, BT T...

Speaker Market Shares
Amazon Ahead in a Crowded Market

Cover image for Speaker Market Shares

Mark Mulligan

October 2018

Subscriptions

Streaming

Music Subscriptions

Digital music pushed music out of the home speaker and into the earphone. Over recent years this has created a booming market for headphones but speakers are fighting back, driven in large part by tech majors using smart speakers as a Trojan horse for expanding into the home.

Headphones Market Shares
Apple Takes the Lead

Cover image for Headphones Market Shares

Mark Mulligan

October 2018

Subscriptions

Streaming

Music Subscriptions

Headphones are the physical manifestation of streaming music. With the focus of listening shifted from home speakers to smartphones, headphones have become ubiquitous. But, whereas convenience was unchallenged in the early years, consumers have started to place more importance on quality.

Amazon Music
The Dark Horse Comes Out Of The Shadows

Cover image for Amazon Music

Mark Mulligan

September 2017

Streaming

Streaming Music

Music Subscriptions

Back in the days when online music meant online CD sales, Amazon was the king. Then, along came Apple with iTunes music store and Amazon saw the throne snatched from its hands. No sooner had Apple started to enjoy its reign that Spotify came along to usurp the throne.

Streaming Music Growth
How The S-Curve Will Determine Growth

Cover image for Streaming Music Growth

Mark Mulligan

April 2017

Consumer behaviour

Streaming

Streaming Music

Streaming music drove trade revenues of $5.4 billion in 2016, up 57% from $3.5 billion in 2015 while music subscribers grew from 68.5 million to 106.3 million over the same period. The rate at which the streaming music market will grow, and the level at which it will peak, is determined not just by industry strategy but also by the underlying laws ...